Sometimes an adverb like well is so often placed in front of and combined with a certain past participle in order to modify it that the resulting adjectival combination achieves the status of a common word and is listed in dictionaries. In Dictionary.com you will find, for example, entries for well-advised, well-loved, and well-mannered; for ill-advised, ill-bred, and ill-conceived; and for half-baked, half-cocked, and half-hearted. Some of these terms are given full definitions, while others are considered such obvious combinations that you can figure out for yourself what they must mean and so they are simply listed. It is important to note, however, that compound adjectives like these are hyphenated for use before the noun they modify together. Thus we say that someone is “a well-loved professor,” but there would be no hyphen between well and loved in a sentence like “My English professor is well loved and deserves the award.” In a similar manner, adjectival compounds formed with better, best, little, lesser, least, etc., are also hyphenated when placed before the noun ( a little-understood theory ), but the hyphen is dropped when the adjectival combination follows the noun ( his films are best known in England ) or is itself modified by an adverb ( a too little understood theory ). There are exceptions to this pattern. For example, when the combining adverb ends in –ly, no hyphen is required, whether the resulting adjectival combination appears before or after the noun: a highly regarded surgeon; a surgeon who is highly regarded. Don’t let the hyphens fool you. Punctuation can be tricky!

well2

[wel] /wɛl/

noun

1.

a hole drilled or bored into the earth to obtain water, petroleum, natural gas, brine, or sulfur.

2.

a spring or natural source of water.

3.

an apparent reservoir or a source of human feelings, emotions, energy, etc.:

He was a well of gentleness and courtesy.

4.

a container, receptacle, or reservoir for a liquid:

the well of ink in a fountain pen.

5.

any sunken or deep, enclosed space, as a shaft for air or light, stairs, or an elevator, extending vertically through the floors of a building.

6.

Nautical.

a part of a weather deck between two superstructures, extending from one side of a vessel to the other.

a compartment or enclosure around a ship's pumps to make them easily accessible and protect them from being damaged by the cargo.

7.

a hollow compartment, recessed area, or depression for holding a specific item or items, as fish in the bottom of a boat or the retracted wheels of an airplane in flight.

8.

any shaft dug or bored into the earth, as for storage space or a mine.

verb (used without object)

9.

to rise, spring, or gush, as water, from the earth or some other source (often followed by up, out, or forth):

Wells1

a city in SW England, in Somerset: 12th-century cathedral. Pop: 10 406 (2001)

Wells2

/wɛlz/

noun

1.

Henry. 1805–78, US businessman, who founded (1852) with William Fargo the express mail service Wells, Fargo and Company

2.

H(erbert) G(eorge). 1866–1946, British writer. His science-fiction stories include The Time Machine (1895), War of the Worlds (1898), and The Shape of Things to Come (1933). His novels on contemporary social questions, such as Kipps (1905), Tono-Bungay (1909), and Ann Veronica (1909), affected the opinions of his day. His nonfiction works include The Outline of History (1920)

well1

/wɛl/

adverb better, best

1.

(often used in combination) in a satisfactory manner: the party went very well

2.

(often used in combination) in a good, skilful, or pleasing manner: she plays the violin well

3.

in a correct or careful manner: listen well to my words

4.

in a comfortable or prosperous manner: to live well

5.

(usually used with auxiliaries) suitably; fittingly: you can't very well say that

6.

intimately: I knew him well

7.

in a kind or favourable manner: she speaks well of you

8.

to a great or considerable extent; fully: to be well informed

9.

by a considerable margin: let me know well in advance

10.

preceded by could, might, or may. indeed: you may well have to do it yourself

11.

(informal) (intensifier): well safe

12.

all very well, used ironically to express discontent, dissent, etc

13.

as well

in addition; too

preceded by may or might. with equal effect: you might as well come

just as well, preferable or advisable: it would be just as well if you paid me now

14.

as well as, in addition to

15.

just leave well alone, just leave well enough alone, to refrain from interfering with something that is satisfactory

16.

well and good, used to indicate calm acceptance, as of a decision: if you accept my offer, well and good

17.

well up in, well acquainted with (a particular subject); knowledgeable about

adjective (usually postpositive)

18.

(when prenominal, usually used with a negative) in good health: I'm very well, thank you, he's not a well man

19.

satisfactory, agreeable, or pleasing

20.

prudent; advisable: it would be well to make no comment

21.

prosperous or comfortable

22.

fortunate or happy: it is well that you agreed to go

interjection

23.

an expression of surprise, indignation, or reproof

an expression of anticipation in waiting for an answer or remark

sentence connector

24.

an expression used to preface a remark, gain time, etc: well, I don't think I will come

Word Origin

Old English wel; related to Old High German wala, wola (German wohl), Old Norse val, Gothic waila

well2

/wɛl/

noun

1.

a hole or shaft that is excavated, drilled, bored, or cut into the earth so as to tap a supply of water, oil, gas, etc

2.

a natural pool where ground water comes to the surface

3.

a cavity, space, or vessel used to contain a liquid

(in combination): an inkwell

4.

an open shaft through the floors of a building, such as one used for a staircase

5.

a deep enclosed space in a building or between buildings that is open to the sky to permit light and air to enter

6.

a bulkheaded compartment built around a ship's pumps for protection and ease of access

well

adv.

"in a satisfactory manner," Old English wel, common Germanic (cf. Old Saxon wela, Old Norse vel, Old Frisian wel, Dutch wel, Old High German wela, German wohl, Gothic waila "well"), from PIE *wel-, *wol- (cf. Sanskrit prati varam "at will," Old Church Slavonic vole "well," Welsh gwell "better," Latin velle "to wish, will," Old English willan "to wish;" see will (v.)). Also used in Old English as an interjection and an expression of surprise. Well-to-do "prosperous" is recorded from 1825.

(wěl) A deep hole or shaft sunk into the Earth to tap a liquid or gaseous substance such as water, oil, gas, or brine. If the substance is not under sufficient pressure to flow freely from the well, it must be pumped or raised mechanically to the surface. Water or pressurized gas is sometimes pumped into a nonproducing oil well to push petroleum resources out of underground reservoirs. See also artesian well.

(Heb. beer), to be distinguished from a fountain (Heb. 'ain). A "beer" was a deep shaft, bored far under the rocky surface by the art of man, which contained water which percolated through the strata in its sides. Such wells were those of Jacob and Beersheba, etc. (see Gen. 21:19, 25, 30, 31; 24:11; 26:15, 18-25, 32, etc.). In the Pentateuch this word beer, so rendered, occurs twenty-five times.